WATCH: ‘Everyone started panicking, we had to break windows to get out’ – Passenger in bus crash near UJ

“Everyone started panicking. We had to break windows and climb from the top out. The other passengers who got out of the bus also assisted us.”

These are the words of a passenger on one of the buses that crashed outside the University of Johannesburg’s Kingsway campus on Tuesday morning.

The accident, involving a Metrobus and a University of Johannesburg (UJ) shuttle bus, left more than 70 people injured, with five of them critical.

Accident

Speaking to The Citizen, Caitlin Bushby said she was having a conversation with a friend when they heard an extremely loud bang.

“We were having a conversation and this other bus skipped the robot and turned into our bus. As you know, the buses drive fast and the other bus collided with ours. Our bus tumbled.”

Panic

Bushby said passengers were traumatised by the accident and were trying to get off the bus.

Injured passengers were taken to South Rand, Hillbrow, Milpark, Helen Joseph, Charlotte Maxeke and Edenvale hospitals. Edenvale hospital is over 20km away from the scene.

Spokesperson Russel Meiring said among the injured were UJ and high school students.

“On assessment, medics found approximately 77 patients had sustained injuries ranging from minor to severe. Fortunately, no fatalities were found.

“The patients were treated for their injuries, and the seriously injured were provided with advanced life support before they were transported to various hospitals for further care.

“When there is a great number of casualties in an incident, hospital casualty wards can be overwhelmed. So as not to overwhelm facilities, patients are spread across medical facilities in the city”.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Injured in horror UJ bus crash taken as far as 20km away for treatment

Investigations

Meiring said the exact details surrounding the incident are unknown but local authorities are on the scene for further investigations.

When The Citizen visited the scene, they found authorities clearing up the debris in preparation to move the buses. Passengers were collecting their personal belongings from the buses.

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